Definite and indefinite articles

Image    Mary is a scientist. She works at the University of Manchester.

 

 

We use articles before nouns to help define them.




Indefinite article: a or an                                      I have a banana and an orange.

 

Definite article:   the                                             The food at this restaurant is delicious.



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Sometimes an article is not necessary but we always need one with a singular countable noun.

 

 

Singular countable nouns

Plural countable nouns

Uncountable nouns

 

a - for nouns that begin with a consonant sound

 

 

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an - for nouns that begin with a vowel sound

 

 

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the

 

 

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Indefinite article

a or an                                     

 

we use a:

 

  • before consonant sounds: a doctor, a mechanic, a dog, a big car, a happy person
  • before vowels that sound like the consonant /j/: a university, a European person

 

we use an:

  • before vowels: an architect, an umbrella, an easy exercise, an important meeting
  • before 'h' when it is silent: an hour, an honourable person
  • before consonants that sound like vowels: an FBI agent, an SNCF employee

 

Rules for 'a/an'

Examples

 

To define something

 

Tennis is a sport.

Manchester is a city in England.

A mule is an animal with long, furry ears.

 

 

To describe someone or something

 

 

She's a lovely person.

He's an optimist.

She's a good swimmer.

It's a lovely day today.

She lives in a big house.

 

 

To talk about jobs

 

 

He's a lawyer and his wife is an electrician.

 

When we mention something or someone for the first time

 

I have a dog and a cat.

There's an angry man in reception!

She has a new car.

 

 

When we mean one of many - it doesn't matter or we don't know which one

 

Can you open a window, please?

She works in an office.

 



Definite article

We use the before singular and plural countable nouns and before uncountable nouns.

     

Rules for 'the'

Examples

 

When we talk about something specific - we know which one(s)

 

Where is he? He's in the bedroom.

What is the name of your company?

Here are the parts that you ordered.

The children are on holiday this week. [the speaker's children]

 

 

When we talk about something previously mentioned

 

We have a cat and a dog. The cat is very old but the dog loves playing with the children.

 

 

When there is only one

 

Paris is the capital city of France.

the sun

the Queen of England

 

Countries which are plural or which include the kind of country in the name - kingdom, republic etc.

 

the UK

the United States

the Netherlands

the Alps

the Maldives

 

 

 

 

Regions and points on the globe

 

the Far East

the Mid-West [U.S.]

the North

Manchester is a city in the north-west of England.

the North Pole

 

 

Oceans, seas, rivers, forests, gulfs, peninsulas and deserts (but not lakes)

 

 

 

the Pacific

the Irish Sea

the Rhone

the Sahara

the Black Forest

the Gulf of Mexico

 

 

When talking generally about the population of some countries

 

 

The Spanish start work later and finish later than other Europeans.

The Japanese are often quiet during meetings. 

 

 

A particular animal, machine, musical instrument etc.

 

The elephant lives in Africa and Asia.

Do you play the piano?

  

 

Buildings

 

the National Gallery

the Louvre

the Ritz Hotel

the Opus Restaurant

 

 

Some organisations and institutions

 

the police

the Army, the Navy, the Royal Air Force

the BBC

the Internet

 

 

Some expressions relating to position or time

 

on the top

in the middle

at the bottom

 

on the left/right

 

at the moment

in the end

at the beginning

 

at the weekend

in the morning/afternoon/evening

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Can you open a window, please?           

 

                   

Can you close the window, please?

 

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I need to buy a book.                           

The book I am looking for is by J. Wright.